House marks three years with record bill count, but scores lower on inclusion

The House of Representatives has introduced 2,747 bills since its inauguration in June 2023, passed 363 of them, and secured presidential assent for 72, according to a scorecard unveiled at the opening of the 2026 National Assembly Open Week in Abuja on Tuesday.

The figures mark the highest legislative output recorded by any assembly since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.

The scorecard was presented by the Chief of Staff to the Speaker, Prof. Jake Dan-Azumi, who gave an overview at the opening ceremony inside the chambers of the House of Representatives.

How the 2,747 bills break down by session

Dan-Azumi said the assessment had to be an honest one, benchmarked against Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) standards covering effectiveness, accountability, inclusion, participation and representation.

“So in my own presentation and assessment of the 10th House, it may appear a little warmer than you’re used to hearing from me. That’s not because I’ve changed my position, it’s because I now have better insight,” the Chief of Staff said, describing his shift from parliamentary commentator to insider.

Of the 2,747 bills, the first legislative session recorded 1,351, comprising 12 executive bills, 1,336 private member bills and three Senate bills, of which 89 were passed. The second session saw 912 bills introduced, including 14 executive, 868 private member and 30 Senate bills, with 148 passed. The third session recorded 484 new bills, made up of 31 executive, 391 private member and 62 Senate bills, with 126 passed, bringing the totals to 2,747 introduced, 363 passed and 72 enacted into law.

Of the 220 motions considered within the period, 192 were referred to standing committees, 28 to ad hoc committees, and 121 were raised as matters of urgent public importance. A further 48 public petitions were considered during the third session alone.

According to the report, 94.5% of the bills passed were sponsored by private members rather than executive bills.

“Of the bills passed, nine out of ten were private member bills, only a small fraction were executive bills. That tells you this is a parliament that is engaged and acting on its own initiative, rather than simply receiving and passing bills from the President,” the Chief of Staff said, citing the ratio as evidence against rubber-stamp criticism.

He said the House met three to four of the five IPU parameters, scoring lower on inclusion, particularly the representation of women, an issue he said is being addressed through the ongoing constitutional amendment process on reserved seats.

Speaker’s keynote credits scorecard to three-year record

In his keynote,Speaker of the House, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen said the National Assembly Open Week, running from 14 to 16 July under the theme “Three Years of the 10th National Assembly: Advocacy, Transparency, Inclusion and Reforms,” marks the third anniversary of the 10th House.

“The citizens deserve more than figures for the sake of figures,” he said, describing the 2,747 bills, 363 passed and 72 assented to as figures that “represent memorable and lasting change.”

Abbas also disclosed that the House would withdraw its own state police bill in favour of a more comprehensive executive version transmitted by President Bola Tinubu, and assured Nigerians the proposed legislation would undergo public hearing and open scrutiny before passage.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, speaking at the event, urged Nigerians to read the laws made by the National Assembly before criticising lawmakers, describing the current Assembly as the most harmonious since 1999.

Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, also urged lawmakers to sustain reforms promoting transparency, inclusion and accountability, describing them as essential pillars of a credible legislature.

In a goodwill message, Clement Nwankwo of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre cautioned lawmakers not to be carried away by the scorecard, calling for stronger oversight of the executive and passage of the Special Seats Bill for Women. Retired Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, urged lawmakers to consult their constituents on issues affecting them.

The event was also attended by former Speakers Aminu Masari, Patricia Etteh and Yakubu Dogara, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Prof Ali Pate, and former Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, among others.